Compiled by Mariel Carlson, Graduate Assistant

House members have introduced a record 4,708 individual pieces of legislation for the two-year session, as of Wednesday. It is the end of week 10 in the Minnesota Legislative session. Today, April 1st, is the deadline for bills which met last week’s March 25th deadline to move forward in the next house. Next Friday, April 8 is the last day for committees to act favorably on bills of finance or appropriation.

House and Senate committees are beginning to share this session’s omnibus bills. For example, the Human Senate Human Service Reform Committee omnibus bill, SF4165, includes a variety of proposed bills on similar topics in one large, inclusive piece of legislation. (If you are still wondering what it means to create an omnibus bill, MinnPost summarized the pros and cons of using omnibus bills to pass legislation).

Please follow CASCW’s curated bill tracking account on the Minnesota State Legislature website to keep tabs on what’s happening specifically related to child welfare. You can also find information on House and Senate hearings (all streamed virtually).

Bills of Interest

Maya’s Law: Child Maltreatment Family Assessment and Investigation Requirements Modified

HF3971 [Rep. Becker-Finn (DFL)]

This bill requires interviews of children subject to child protection investigations to occur outside the presence of the alleged offender if the child is older than four years old. If the report indicates significant harm, notice to the primary caregiver is not required. It also grants immunity to minors who make a child maltreatment report or assist during assessment or investigation.

On 3/3/22, HF3971 was introduced and referred to the Judiciary FInance and Civil Law committee where it was adopted on 3/17 and re-referred to the Human Services Finance and Policy Committee. No further action.

Youth Justice Service Grant Established

HF4397 / SF4327 [Rep. Pinto (DFL) and Sen. Champion (DFL)]

This bill would appropriate an unspecified amount in fiscal year 2023 to establish and expand youth justice services. It requires money to be used for mental health services for youth, after-school programming, and development of an assessment tool and training for juvenile detention facility staff.

In the House, it was introduced on 3/17 and referred to the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Finance and Policy committee where it was heard on 3/29 and laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill. In the Senate, it was introduced and referred to the Judiciary and Public Safety Finance and Policy committee on 3/28.

Blind Parents Rights Provided

HF2458 / SF1370 [Rep. Gomez (DFL) and Sen. Koran (R)]

This bill provides specific court procedures and rights to blind parents in adoption, child protection, and custody and parenting time cases. Specifically in child protection, a petition cannot be filed based solely on the parent’s blindness — a specific behavior endangering the child must be cited.

It was introduced in the House in April 2021 and during a committee meeting on 2/24/22, it was laid over for possible inclusion in a future omnibus bill. In the Senate, it was introduced in February 2021 and referred to committee with no further action other than authors added in February 2022.

Quality Parenting Initiative Funding Provided, and Money Appropriated

HF3815 / SF3720 [Rep. Moran (DFL) and Sen. Torres Ray (DFL)]

This bill appropriates $100,000 in fiscal years 2023, 2024, and 2025 a grant to Quality Parenting Initiative Minnesota. The bill specifies how grant funds must be used, including providing training and technical assistance to entities on conducting initial foster care phone calls, creating partnerships between birth and foster families, and supporting youth leadership and the participation of individuals with experience in the foster care system when developing child welfare practices.

In the House, it was introduced 2/28/22 and referred to committee, where it was heard on 3/23 and laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill. In the Senate it was also laid over for an omnibus bill on 3/22.

Child Welfare; Out-of-home Placement Cost of Care

HF3615 / SF 3647 [Rep. Moran (DFL) and Sen. Hoffman (DFL)]

Under current law, when legal custody of a child is transferred to a local social services agency or to a person under the agency’s supervision, courts and local social services agencies must require parents to use income and resources attributable to the child and, in some circumstances, the parents to reimburse the county for the cost of care, examination, or treatment for the child. Income attributable to the child includes Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), child support, veterans benefits, and railroad retirement benefits. This bill removes these requirements for children in out-of-home placement or found to be delinquent.

In the Senate, it was introduced on 3/2/22, passed as amended in the first committee on 3/23, and was laid over in the second committee on 3/29 for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill. In the House committee meeting on 3/15, it was adopted and laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill.

Foster and Adoptive Family Recruitment

HF4217 / SF4009 [Rep. Agbaje (DFL) and Sen. Nelson (R)]

This bill modifies the duties of foster and adoptive family recruitment specialists, adding identification, engagement, and support strategies for recruiting relative and kin caregivers and additional efforts to increase the number of available foster and adoptive families that reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of children in need of placement. The bill also appropriates money for new foster and adoptive family recruitment and support grants.

Introduced in the House and referred to committee, heard on 3/23 with testimony provided by NACAC and laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill. In the Senate it was introduced and referred to committee on 3/14.

Child Welfare and Maltreatment Modifications

HF1943 / SF1729 [Rep. Pinto (DFL) and Sen. Hoffman (DFL)]

This bill permits the local welfare agency to conduct noncaregiver sex trafficking assessments (as opposed to investigations) when the alleged sex trafficker is not a child’s caregiver. A noncaregiver sex trafficking assessment includes a determination of a family’s need for services to address safety issues. This bill also adds sex trafficking to definitions of harm in statutes governing child placement and protection.

This bill was introduced in the Senate in March 2021 and was scheduled to be heard in committee on 3/31. The House companion has not seen action since it was laid over by committee in March 2021 for possible inclusion in budget omnibus.

Brief Updates

  • HF3845 / SF4209 – A bill establishing the Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson was heard in committee on 3/29, adopted, and re-referred to the House Ways and Means Committee. The Senate companion was scheduled to be heard in committee on 3/31.
  • HF2671 / SF2736 –  A bill that would establish a guardianship process for at-risk juveniles ages 18 to 21 passed its third reading in the Senate unanimously and its House companion is placed on the calendar for Monday 4/4 to be heard by the House.
  • HF2914 / SF2876 – A bill that allows telecommunication for services including supervision and virtual foster care visits was presented to the governor and approved on 3/24.

Important Timelines to keep in mind

  • Friday, April 1 – Committees must act favorably on bills, or companions of bills, that met the first deadline in the other body
  • Friday, April 8 – Committees must act favorably on major appropriation and finance bills
  • April 9-18 – Legislative Break
  • Monday, May 23 – Last day of session

Upcoming Events

Stay tuned for more legislative updates as we gather information and track what’s happening at the Capitol.